The Marriott Marquis, which revamped Times Square, turns 40 today

[macbeth]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 9:47am

https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/times-squares-marriott-marquis-hotel-turns-40

Anyone else old enough to have been with me as part of the protests? I can't believe it's been 40 years!

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 3:00pm

This is nothing to celebrate.  This knocked down 5 historic beautiful theaters and his now an eye soar on 45th and 46th street.  The Marquis theater is the worst theater on Broadway, it’s absolutely wretched 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 3:30pm

A truly terrible theatre. 

[Idiot]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 3:34pm

Anybody else find the front mezz horrifying?  Gives me vertigo. 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 3:39pm

Idiot said: "Anybody else find the front mezz horrifying? Gives me vertigo."

Yes. Built with as small a footprint as they could get away with. You just know Me and My Girl was a good show based on how long it ran in that place.

[George in DC]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 3:42pm

I was actually one of those arrested that final day.

 

It still sickens me that a Broadway Theatre is named after that asshole Gerald Schoenfeld who was so instrumental in the destruction of the Hayes, Belasco and the others.

[theatrejunkie007]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:05pm

need a ME AND MY GIRL revival asap... 

[jagman106]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:11pm

George in DC said: "I was actually one of those arrested that final day.



It still sickens me that a Broadway Theatre is named after that assholeGerald Schoenfeld who was so instrumental in the destruction of the Hayes, Belasco and the others."

I believe you meant to say the Morosco, not the Belasco. The only thing I like about the Marquis is that the seats are somewhat comfortable. Otherwise, the theater is non-descript and lacks character. The  facade of the Helen Hayes was the most beautiful of all the theaters in the theater district (IMO) and we lost it to the ugly Marriott.

 

Updated On: 9/5/25 at 04:11 PM

[George in DC]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:14pm

^  Yes, I meant the Morosco (It's been a long day).

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:19pm

theatrejunkie007 said: "need a ME AND MY GIRL revival asap..."

Absolutely!  I saw the Encores production of the show in 2018.  I've always thought that Rob McClure would make a wonderful Bill Snibson.  The show is just so joyous!  

I see both sides of the coin regarding the tearing down of the theatres, and building the hotel that was the start of the revitalization of Times Square.  

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:25pm

I like to think they can tear it down and build 5 brand new theaters.  Maybe they can get the original designs of the Helen Hayes and rebuild it 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/5/25 at 4:37pm

George in DC said: "^ Yes, I meant the Morosco (It's been a long day)."

There’s a great gag in The Sunshine Boys about mixing up the Belasco and the Morosco. No matter how many times I hear it or read it, it stays just as hilarious. Neil Simon really knew “it’s funny ‘cause it’s true”.

Borle worked way too hard in that Encores production of Me and My Girl, and it showed. I could see his sweat dripping all over the floor from way up in the balcony. He’s just not from the British school of ease, I suppose, and that ease is what Bill Snibson needs - it’s the literal sentiment of his people and why the toffs are so perplexed by him.

Although Laura Michelle Kelly was not much better. The show should send you out floating, but I felt a bit ashamed and like *I’d* done something wrong, purely based on how ‘un-fun’ the leading pair made it look. 

Mark Evans, however, was absolutely brilliant as usual. And the delightful Eloise Kropp could run me over with her car and I’d say “thank you!”.

Boris! who, to quote another Neil Simon play, is “not gay!” has spoken. 

Updated On: 9/5/25 at 04:37 PM

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 3:26am

I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show. 

[east side story]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 9:28am

UncleCharlie said: "I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show."

Is that even still a possibility? I thought they had done a refit during the pandemic and those bathrooms are now locked if there is no performance. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 9:30am

theatrejunkie007: need a ME AND MY GIRL revival asap...

Yes Yes Yes to this idea. Saw this at the Shaw Festival in 2017 and absolutely adored it and especially Michael Therriault as Bill Snibson.  We were so excited when the Shaw announced a revival for their Holiday season 2020 and were planning to revisit before it was cancelled due to Covid.  

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 9:52am

UncleCharlie said: "I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show."


Shhhhhh 🤫 

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 9:54am

UncleCharlie said: "I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show."

Those bathrooms are too far away from the theatre to be considered the theatre’s. They’re great bathrooms, I admit - but the auditorium is no good. 

[kdogg36]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 10:05am

east side story said: "Is that even still a possibility? I thought they had done a refit during the pandemic and those bathrooms are now locked if there is no performance."

The bathrooms on the third floor, outside of the theater entrance, are usually locked now. The lobby on the 8th floor has large restrooms that are not locked, as well as comfortable seating areas. Although there may be signage that says the lobby is only for hotel guests, it is de facto open to the public; I hang out there frequently and have never had an issue. 

[nealb1]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 1:48pm

UncleCharlie said: "I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show."

Perfectly said!  Love it.  :)  I've used the restrooms on the 8th floor lobby many, many times over the decades and have hung out in the lobby before seeing a show.  I've never had any issues at all with Security, or anything like that.  

 

[Dom P]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 1:53pm

BorisTomashevsky said: "Idiot said: "Anybody else find the front mezz horrifying? Gives me vertigo."

Yes. Built with as small a footprint as they could get away with. You just know Me and My Girl was a good show based on how long it ran in that place."

I believe " Me & My Girl" was the longest run there. I saw it starring Robert Lindsay, Maryann Plunkett, and the always divine George S. Irving.

Updated On: 9/6/25 at 01:53 PM

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 1:58pm

I think they have a levain little corner selling the cookies on the 8th floor right next to that office selling tickets or whatever it is.  

[Malinda5000]

Posted: 9/6/25 at 3:12pm

No Celebration Here. I remember the protests and fundraising.  This awful Marquis Theatre knocked down The Beautiful (original) Helen Hayes Theatre along with the Morosco ( which was a bit ragged by this time but still very beautiful) the Bijou Theatre … the original Astor Theatre and  The Gaiety Theatre all gone for a Theatre that only had one long running hit… Me And My Girl.  Shame on them for this celebration.

[UncleCharlie]

Posted: 9/7/25 at 4:42am

east side story said: "UncleCharlie said: "I suppose none of the people here gripping about the Marquis have ever used their wonderful, spotless bathrooms or their comfortable 8th floor lobby to kill time and relax before a show."

Is that even still a possibility? I thought they had done a refit during the pandemic and those bathrooms are now locked if there is no performance."

Don't know about the bathrooms on the same level as the theater, but the ones on the 8th floor near reception are always open (and spotless) given the 8th floor houses not just the reception and check-in area but a bar and a restaurant. 

[Birdie Boy]

Posted: 9/7/25 at 5:02am

The restrooms on the sixth floor are really big and clean. I actually didn’t even realize there were restrooms on 8th. theres also the 7th floor across the vending machines but those r small and not as good, usually nothing to dry your hands.  
 

when I saw stranger things, I was horrified watching the people running up and down the escalators to find a restroom.  It’s truly frightening in there, if the Marquis is to continue being used as a theater, they need a complete and total renovation.  The entire second floor should be only for the theater. Isn’t that how the Minskoff works?  On the second floor of the hotel, you have the front desk of The View restaurant, there’s all sorts of other people there working, there’s people from the outside going up and down escalators.  It’s just a disaster.  I also wouldn’t mind if they took the Marquis theater off the Broadway market and just turned it into a touring house. I’d love that, if we could have all the touring companies do a few weeks on Broadway but not technically on Broadway 

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 9/7/25 at 6:50am

Those elevators though...